Cellphone use ban while driving headed to governor

House passes bill banning cellphone use while driving in New Hampshire to governor

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Hand-held cellphone use would be banned while driving in New Hampshire in mid-2015 under a bill on its way to the governor for signature.

The House passed the bill Wednesday without debate. If signed, the change would take effect July 1, 2015, and require the state to conduct an education campaign to alert drivers of the law.

The bill would continue to allow adults to talk on cellphones while driving if they use hands-free phones, devices built into the vehicle and two-way radios. The bill also would ban all cellphone use by minors behind the wheel.

The ban would apply while drivers are stopped temporarily, such as at a red light, but not if they have pulled over and stopped. The bill doesn't apply in an emergency.